Which statement about steel shot versus lead shot is true?

• A. steel shot weighs about two-thirds as much
• B. steel shot produces a larger pattern
• C. steel shot is softer
• D. steel shot is more unstable in flight

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that pellet weight comes from density and size. Steel is much less dense than lead, so a steel pellet of the same diameter as a lead pellet weighs significantly less—about two-thirds as much. This density difference is why steel shot tends to weigh roughly two-thirds of lead shot for the same size pellet.

That lighter mass changes how the pellet behaves in a load and downrange. With the same shot size and powder charge, steel pellets will have different momentum and energy compared to lead pellets, which is why loads are adjusted (often using different sizes or velocities) to achieve similar performance. The other statements aren’t reliable general truths: steel is harder, not softer, and pattern size or flight stability aren’t dictated solely by whether the shot is steel or lead—they depend on many factors like velocity, choke, and pellet design.